Monday, May 23, 2016

wrestling with God

Today, Lewis brings us to a very important point in A Year with C.S. Lewis.

He says that many of us come to Christianity looking not for what it teaches us, but for support for our political programs. My brother was approached by a man once who wanted to know a Bible verse he could use to make this other guy leave him alone. In other words, he was looking for a spell. And even though we wouldn't put it like that, many of us come to God looking for "something we can use" to get what we want.

Let's look at this the other way around. There are verses in the Bible that we don't like very much, aren't there? That business about dying to ourselves daily? But those are the very verses we need to spend time with. They'll change US into the people we need to be.

Did you know that "Israel" means "wrestles with God"? That's what we need to do. Wrestle with Him. Argue with Him, get mad at Him, if we feel that way. He would much rather we argue with Him than ignore Him. And when we engage with Him, even to fight or wrestle, we will be changed by Him. Because we will see Him as He is.
And everyone who sees Him as He is comes away changed.

God, please give me "something I can use" ... to be more like You.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Okay my new name should be Israel then. Lol! No on a serious spiritual note. It is when we wrestle with God that the most growth occurs in our Christian walk. It is when God opens us up to His truly unconditional love for us when we wrestle and if stick with Him to the end of the match you always come out the Victor! It is the wrestle when we also feel the closest to Him when we reflect on the match. Thank you Lord for loving us despite our tendency to fight you when you know what is best and yet you still loves us. Thank you for not crushing when we have wrestled for your mercy and grace. Thank you for loving me for me!

Julie said...

Yeah, but you'll end up with a limp the rest of your life. I must have wrestled with Him a lot, my body is wrecked. I think God laughs at me at times when I argue with Him.